Swatch 'Pride' watches: Home Ministry will comply with court ruling

The Home Ministry will comply with a court decision to return 172 watches seized in a crackdown last year from the Swatch Pride collection.

Speaking to reporters in Putrajaya, its minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail defended the crackdown, saying that it followed procedures and laws but also conceded to the court’s purview to rule in a challenge filed by the Swiss watchmaker.

“If that is the court decision, by right, the Home Ministry must comply with the decision, or else it would be viewed as contempt.

“So I must first get the report on the judgment,” Saifuddin (above) told a press conference after attending the Immigration Department monthly assembly.

The Kuala Lumpur High Court this morning allowed Swatch Group (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd’s judicial review for the return of its watches in various rainbow shades - which is the symbol of the LGBTQ+ community.

Judge Amarjeet Singh ordered the ministry to return all the watches within 14 days from today.

Seizure illegal

The civil court judge ruled the seizure was illegal as it was done before the prohibition over the items was gazetted under the Printing Presses and Publications Act (PPPA).

The government had seized the Swatch watches in May last year but only gazetted a ban several months later in August.

Previously, Saifuddin was defiant when lawyer New Sin Yew pointed out that the late gazette made the seizures illegal.

"No (issue). We have a clear source of power," the minister said on Aug 22.

"The relevant law. The law (PPPA) is under the purview of (Home Ministry's) enforcement and control division.

"At the time there were (also) public complaints," he added.

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